Delhi Police shifted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital on the 21st day [2] of his hunger strike.
The forced relocation of the activist from the Jantar Mantar protest site highlights a growing tension between state security measures and the legal rights of political protesters in India.
Wangchuk had been fasting for 20 days [1] before police intervened. A spokesperson for the Delhi Police said the shift was conducted according to a court order and because of the activist's deteriorating health [3]. Medical reports indicate his potassium levels dropped from 4.3 to 2.9 [3].
Dr. Charu Bamba, the Medical Superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital, said Wangchuk is stable and fully conscious but is experiencing mild dehydration and weakness due to prolonged fasting [1]. The hospital said that he requires continuous monitoring and treatment [1].
However, Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, said the police action violates a court order [2]. She has requested that no medical treatment be administered without the consent of the family [2]. Despite the hospitalization, Angmo said the Parliament march scheduled for Monday will continue [2].
The dispute centers on the legality of the removal and the autonomy of the patient. While police maintain they acted within legal bounds to preserve life, the family views the move as an attempt to disrupt the protest's visibility at Jantar Mantar.
“The Parliament march on Monday will continue.”
The conflict over Sonam Wangchuk's hospitalization reflects a broader struggle over the 'right to fast' as a form of political expression. By citing medical necessity and court orders to remove a high-profile activist from a public square, the state effectively neutralizes the visual impact of a hunger strike, while the family's demand for consent underscores the legal tension between emergency medical intervention and individual bodily autonomy during political protest.
